Electric arc welding



PL BOUGHTON Jan. 23, 1968 ELECTRIC ARC WELDING 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 29, 1965 *ZZAW I Af Z wag,

Jan. 23, 1968 v P. BOUGHTON 3,365,564

ELECTRIC ARC WELDING Filed July 29, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan; 23, 1968 P. BOUGHTON ELECTRI C ARC WELDING Filed July 29, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 4%Mmf United States Patent 3,365,564 ELECTRIC ARC WELDHNG Peter Boughton, St. Albans, England, assignor to The British Oxygen Company Limited, a company of Great Britain 1 Filed July 29, 1965, Ser. No. 475,698

Claims priority, application Great Britain, Aug. 6, 1964,

7 Claims. (Cl. 219131) ABSTRACT OF THE DISULOSURE In an electric arc welding apparatus of the type which comprises a welding electrode connected in parallel to a source of background level D0. and to a source of.D.C. pulses of predetermined amplitude and frequency, the arc is stabilized by including in series with it an inductance common to both current sources.

The present invention relates to consumable-electrode electric arc welding, which may be gas shielded, and particularly to power supplies therefor.

Recent work in this field has shown that great operational advantages can be achieved by modulating the welding current such that current pulses of controlled amplitude, duration, and frequency alternate with periods of relatively low (or background) current of the same polarity as the pulses. The combined effectof these two currents is to ensure that metal is transferred from the electrode in a much more controllable manner than previously obtainable. This welding current can be supplied from two power sources, e.g. a primary (or background) D.C. power supply of suitable output characteristics, and a secondary pulsed power supply. Examples of such advantages are: (i) the ability to work at lower mean Welding currents than have been hitherto possible with free flight transfer, thereby keeping the weld pool at a temperature which is sufliciently low to facilitate working in positions other than the horizontal and yet ensure good fusion; (ii) the size of the metal droplet transferred can now be controlled; and (iii) the possibility of using lower average welding currents for a given wire size reduces the need to utilise very thin and costly electrode wires, thus reducing the problem of surface contamination which is particularly acute with fine wires of high surfacewolume ratio.

Power supplies having sharply-drooping voltage-current characteristic have hitherto been considered essential for use as the background power supply, but we have found that for various reasons constant potential (i.e. flat) or shallow drooping V-A characteristic supplies are preferable. For example, such supplies are less costly and facilitate welding with the self-adjusting arc technique, as in conventional metal inert-gas shielded welding. A serious disadvantage of flat characteristic background power supplies is that when the background current is less than about 100 amperes the arc is unstable and liable to extinction to the extent that satisfactory welding cannot be accomplished.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a welding power supply system in which undesired and transient fluctuations leading to arc instability are substantially reduced or eliminated. We have discovered that such fluctuations may occur, in the case of aluminium welding for example, as a result of metal transfer occurring during a period in which the arc current is of the same order as the transient fluctuation. It is believed that severe current transients are associated with detachment of droplets of weld metal of a droplet size larger than those encountered in conventional high current spray transfer.

In accordance with the invention, we provide an electric arc welding system including a primary DC power supply adapted to provide a relatively low current sufficient to maintain the arc between electrode and workpiece but not suflicient in itself to effect metal spray transfer across the arc and a secondary power supply adapted to provide unidirectional pulses of welding current of predetermined amplitude and frequency, the combined effect of these two power sources being to control the transfer of metal from the electrode to the workpiece, the primary and secondary power supplies being connected in parallel across the arc, in which the primary power supply is of the flat characteristic type and in which an inductance is provided in series with the arc to provide a voltage transient sufficient to prevent the welding current fluctuation from reaching a value at which the arc is unstable.

The present invention is believed to be of general application to systems in which the open circuit voltage of the background or primary power supply does not exceed the peak pulse voltage of the secondary or pulsed power supply, and by way of guidance and not limitation it can be said that the flat characteristic power supply herein referred to is one in which there is a terminal voltage of drop not more than 5 or 6 volts for a 100 ampere change in welding current.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the inductance is of a type which has a saturable magnetic path and which saturates at currents above a certain level of welding current, that is, the level of background welding current below which are extinction is a practical and frequent problem and above which are extinction occurs only very rarely if at all. By way of example, above about 80 amperes background current the welding arc is stable during pulsed arc welding and are extinction never or only very rarely occurs. It is believed that some transient current fluctuations are associated with detachment of a metal droplet and its transfer across the arc by the agency of the applied pulse, and these fluctuations are believed to be of the order of 30-40 amps. When these fluctuations are near or equal to the value of the background current, the likelihood of the arc current momentarily reaching zero with consequent arc extinction is considerable.

The main advantage of employing a saturable inductance is that if its saturation level is chosen as aforesaid, then its impedance will be low at currents above about '80 amps. and in consequence the applied pulses will not be significantly attenuated, but the reactive stored energy characteristic of the inductance will be effective at currents below about amps. to sustain the arc in the event of severe current fluctuations of the type discussed above. In this way a lower-output pulsed power supply can be employed than if the inductance was of the type having a relatively high impedance at the current level, e.g. l50-450 amperes, supplied by the pulsed power supply. I

While the theoretical explanations given herein are believed correct, investigation of the phenomena which are of very short duration has been difficult, and the practical utility of the present invention is not dependent on any particular theory.

In addition to the provision of an inductance as aforesaid, one or more capacitors may be placed in parallel across the arc. The effect of such a capacitor is to assist in the switching from the pulsed to the background power supply, as its stored energy is available to increase the speed of rise of the current from the background supply to the normal background level. In some systems such a capacitor may not be necessary.

An illustrative embodiment of the present invention will now be particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of a welding FIG. 2b is a corresponding graph with the inductance 18 included in the circuit. The DC level of the primary or background power supply 10 is indicated at 30, and pulses supplied by the secondary power supply 20 are shown at system according to the present invention, 32. Between the pulses from the secondary power supply FIGS. 2a and 2b are graphs showing the arc current 20, current transients 34 occur, and involve danger of (ordinate) against time (abscissa) illustrating the imextinction of the are due to are instability. As stated, it is provement obtained with the present invention (FIG. 2b) believed that these may be associated with irregular dropcompared to a system using a flat characteristic backlet formation or possibly detachment, but assessment of ground supply and no inductance (FIG. 2a), the phenomenon has been experimentally difficult and the FIGS. 3a and 3b are graphs showing the voltage appresent invention is not dependent on any particular plied across the are against time, With FIGS. 3a and 3b theory as to the origin or cause of such transients. FIGS. corresponding to FIGS. 2a and 2b, 3a and 3b show the voltage applied across the arc, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are graphs showing the inductance-curit will be seen that the presence of inductance 18 causes a rent characteristics of two illustrative inductances which positive voltage transient 40 (FIG. 3b) whose effect is can be used in the system of the present invention, and to almost completely smooth out the current transient as FIGS. 6a, 6b, 7a and 7b are graphs illustrating an adseen at 36 (FIG. 2b). vantageous aspect of the invention. A further important advantage of the inclusion of an Referring to FIG. 1, the system comprises a primary inductance in series with the arc is that switching from power supply 10 connected by terminals 12 to 3-phase 2 the condition when the arc is fed by the pulsed power AC mains. The power supply 10 is of the type known per supply and the background power supply in combinase having a fiat or slightly drooping voltage-current chartion to the condition when it is fed by the background acteristic, and is adapted to provide a relatively low cursupply alone is greatly improved. Without the inductance rent sufficient to maintain an are between the consumable the arc voltage and arc current graphed against time are electrode (diagrammatically shown at 14 and a workas shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b respectively, and with an piece 16. An inductance 18 is placed in series with the inductance included in series with the arc, the arc voltage are and may take the form of an iron-cored choke with a and current against time are as shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b small air gap. It can for example have an incremental respectively. In FIG. 6 it can be seen that a sag in voltvalue of 10-100 microhenries and the characteristics age 50 and in current 52 occurs immediately after the shown in FIG. 4, when the instantaneous current exceeds pulsed power supply is switched off, and in certain cir- 150 amperes; and an incremental value of 100 to 1000 cumstances, for example when welding aluminium with a microhenries and a characteristic as shown in FIG. 5 when background current of only about 40-50 amps, this sag the instantaneous current is less than 150 amperes. results in zero or near zero are current with consequent A secondary power supply 20 which provides pulses of arc extinction. The improved characteristic afforded by welding current is connected in parallel with the primary the present invention is shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b from power supply 10 across the series arrangement of the which it can be seen that the stored energy of the inductinductance 18 and the arc. The combined effect of the ance has greatly smoothed out the commutation from primary and secondary power supplies is to control the pulsed to background supply. transfer of metal from the electrode to the workpiece, It will be understood from the foregoing that the backand by an appropriate choice of variables it can be ground power supply is of the rectifier type or has a arranged that one droplet of metal is transferred per pulse, blocking rectifier in its output it it is of the generator or with substantially no transfer being initiated between battery type. If it did not, then the arc voltage could pulses. The power supply 20 may be fed from an AC never exceed the open-circuit voltage of the background source (e.g. mains) whose terminals are shown at 22, power supply by anything more than a negligible amount, and the details of arrangement and operation of the power the impedance of the background supply being by definsource 20 form no part of the novelty of the present intion very low since it is of the flat characteristic type. vention. A power source such as that forming the subject As mentioned, an optional feature of the invention is matter of either of our co-pending patent applications the provision of one or more capacitors in parallel across Ser. Nos. 476,026 and 475,701 can advantageously be the arc, and such a capacitor is shown dotted at '44 in employed as the secondary power source 20. FIG. 1. A suitable value for such a capacitor is 10,000

One of the advantageous effects of the inductance 1S miCr faradS. can b seen fro FI S 2 and 3 G 2 is a graph f Specific examples of consumable electrode arc welding welding current against time obtained utilising a circuit in H Id C W t i n n and using 21 50 cycle as shown in FIG. 1 but with inductance 18 omitted, and per second mains supply are as follows:

Ex. 1 Ex. 2 Ex. 3

Position Overhead Vertic Horizontal-Vertical. workpiece Aluminium Butt weld 0.125 Mild Steel Butt weld 1.15 Stainless Steel Fillet weld thick. thie 0.61 thick. Electrode composition Aluminium. Mild steel Stainless steel.

Diameter .062 7 .031. Feed rate. in./m1n 80-140 in./min 130 in./min. Stick out 0.6"/0.7 .25 0.5", Polarity Positive. Positive Positive. Shielding gas A s n oxygen Arson yg Argon Gas flow rate 25/30 cu. ft./l11 Background power supply typo.

Pulse power supply type tively. Inductance in series with arc 3 phase, rectified output,

constant potential.

Single phase, half and full wave rectifiedlto give 50 c./s. and e./s. pulses respec- Unsaturated 1,000 1-1 (at 10A) Saturated 20 H. (at

25/30 cu. it./hr As Ex. 1

25/30 cu. ft lhr. As Ex. 1.

As Ex. 1.

As Ex. 1.

The invention is applicable to consumable electrode welding using solid wire electrodes and also composite electrode wires having a coating or a core of flux material.

I claim:

1. An electric arc welding apparatus comprising a primary DC. power supply of the flat characteristic type adapted to provide a relatively low current sufficient to maintain the are between electrode and workpiece but not sufficient in itself to effect metal spray transfer across the are, a secondary power supply in parallel across the arc with the primary power supply and adapted to provide unidirectional pulses of welding current of predetermined amplitude and frequency, the combined effect of these two power sources being to control the transfer of metal from the electrode to the workpiece, and an inductance in series with the arc and with each power supply, the inductance being of a value to provide a voltage transient sufficient to prevent the welding current fluctuation from reaching a value at which the arc is unstable.

2. An electric arc welding apparatus comprising a primary DC. power supply of the fiat characteristic type adapted to provide a relatively low current sufficient to maintain the are between electrode and workpiece but not sufficient in itself to effect metal spray transfer across the arc, a secondary power supply in parallel across the arc with the primary power supply and adapted to provide unidirectional pulses of welding current of predetermined amplitude and frequency, the combined effect of these two power sources being to control the transfer of metal from the electrode to the workpiece, an inductance in series with the arc and with each power supply, the inductance being of a value to provide a voltage transient sufficient to prevent the welding current fluctuation from reaching a value at which the arc is unstable, and a capacitor connected in parallel with the series connected welding arc and inductance.

3. An electric arc welding apparatus comprising a primary DC. power supply of the flat characteristic type adapted to provide a primary DC. power supply of the flat characteristic type adapted to provide a relatively low current sufficient to maintain the are between electrode and workpiece but not sufficient in itself to effect metal spray transfer across the are, a secondary power supply in parallel across the arc with the primary power supply and adapted to provide unidirectional pulses of welding current of predetermined amplitude and frequency, the combined effect of these two power sources being to control the transfer of metal from the electrode to the workpiece, an inductance of incremental value of -100 microhenries when the instantaneous welding current exceeds 150 amperes in series with the arc and with each power supply, the inductance being of a value to provide a voltage transient sufficient to prevent the welding current fluctuation from reaching a value at which the arc is unstable.

4. An electric arc welding apparatus comprising a primary 'D.C. power supply of the flat characteristic type adapted to provide a relatively low current sufficient to maintain the are between electrode and workpiece but not sufiicient in itself to effect metal spray transfer across the are, a secondary power supply in parallel across the arc with the primary power supply and adapted to provide unidirectional pulses of welding current of predetermined amplitude and frequency, the combined effect of these two power sources being to control the transfer of metal from the electrode to the workpiece, and an inductance of incremental value of 100-1000 microhenries when the instantaneous welding current is less than 150 amperes in series with the arc and with each power supply, the inductance being of a value to provide a voltage transient sufficient to prevent the welding current fluctuation from reaching a value at which the arc is unstable.

5. An electric arc welding apparatus comprising a primary DC. power supply of the flat characteristic type having a terminal voltage drop of not more than 6 volts for a ampere change in welding current, the primary power supply being adapted to provide a relatively low current sufficient to maintain the are between electrode and workpiece but not sufficient in itself to effect metal spray transfer across the arc, a secondary power supply in parallel across the arc with the primary power supply and adapted to provide unidirectional pulses of welding current of predetermined amplitude and frequency, the combined effect of these two power sources being to control the transfer of metal from the electrode to the workpiece, and an inductance having a saturable magnetic path in series with the arc and with each power supply, the inductance being of a value to provide a voltage transient sufficient to prevent the \welding current fluctuation from reaching a value at which the arc is unstable.

6. An electric arc welding apparatus comprising a primary DC. power supply of the flat characteristic type having a terminal voltage drop of not more than 5 volts for a 100 ampere change in welding current, the primary power supply being adapted to provide a relatively low current sufficient to maintain the are between electrode and workpiece but not sufficient in itself to effect metal spray transfer across the arc, a secondary power supply in parallel across the arc with the primary power supply and adapted to provide unidirectional pulses of welding current of predetermined amplitude and frequency, the combined effect of these two power sources being to control the transfer of metal from the electrode to the workpiece, and an inductance in the form of an iron-cored choke with a small air gap in series with the arc and with each power supply, the inductance being of a value to provide a voltage transient sufficient to prevent the welding current fluctuation from reaching a value at which the arc is unstable.

7. A method of electric arc welding including the steps of feeding a continuous wire electrode to a welding are established between its tip and a workpiece, shielding the are from the atmosphere by a gas shroud, connecting to the welding are a flat characteristic power supply including a rectifier in its output and adapted to supply a continuous unidirectional background current to the welding are, connecting to the welding arc in parallel with the flat characteristic power supply a pulse power supply adapted to supply pulses of welding current to the welding arc to effect controlled transfer of electrode metal across the welding arc, the pulse voltage exceeding the background voltage during said current pulses and reverse biassing said rectifier to prevent passage of background current except between said current pulses, and connecting an inductance in series with the welding arc, the series-connected welding arc and inductance being connected across both power supplies, to substantially mitigate or eliminate arc instability.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,777,973 1/1957 Steele et al. 315-171 2,993,984 7/ 1961 Sullivan 219-131 3,249,735 5/1966 Needham 219-131 3,308,265 3/1967 Hobart 219131 RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner. 

